SFI statement on the sudden demise of JNU student Muthu Krishnan

The CEC of SFI expresses its profound grief at the sudden demise of a dalit research scholar Muthu Krishnan, who was a first year MPhil student of Centre for Historical Studies, JNU. He was a student of HCU, before coming to JNU and was active in the 'Justice for Rohith' movement.

Muthu belonged to a working class family from Salem in Tamil Nadu and he realized his dream of getting admission in JNU through hard work and preservation. He had to do odd jobs in order to sustain himself economically, while seeing his dreams getting crushed four consecutive times.

Muthu Krishnan's sad demise has yet again brought to fore the tragic situation of our universities where the demographic assertion of the students from socio-economically deprived sections has met brutal backlash from the caste forces. There is no government data on the number of suicides by Dalit students. However, a compilation by Dalit groups shows that 18 Dalit students committed suicide between 2007-11.

NCRB data shows that more than 20 students committed suicide every day in India in the year 2014. Majority of them belong to lower income category. Caste and capital are killing students. They are forcing young lives to such an alienation where life looses its meaning.

The demise of Muthu Krishnan is yet again a sad reminder of the systematic alienation which the students from socio-economically deprived sections face in our universities. The latest policy offensive in the form of regressive UGC notification and insensitivity of the university administrations is creating an environment of unease and anxiety. It is in this background that the demand for 'Rohith Act' against the caste based discrimination came to fore. The BJP government at centre has been ignoring this crucial demand until now.

SFI demands that a proper enquiry be undertaken to ascertain the reasons behind the death of Muthu. We express our deep condolences to the family and friends of Muthu, in this moment of grief.

We yet again reiterate our resolve to intensify the movement for the Rohith Act.The courageous lives of Muthu and numerous other like him is a pointer for the student movement to overturn this regime of caste and capital. Muthu, your struggles and your dreams will not go in vain!